Ditching-machine.



C. HUNGERFORD.

DlTCHlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION man M531. 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET IN l/E/V TOR THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0 WASHINGTON, D. C.

WITNESSES ATTORNE Y8 TME COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON, n. c.

the following is a-full, clear,and exact de-- CHARLES HUNGERFORD, OF SOLDIER, KANSAS.

nIToHING-MAoHrivE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HUNGERFORD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Soldier, in the county ofJackson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Ditching-Machine, of which scription This invention relates to machines for ditching or grading, and has particular reference to means of this character adapted to bedrawn ordinarily by horses or a traction engine andv designed for various spec fic purposes.

" Among the objects of the invention 1s to provide a machine of the general character indicated, including a frame, one portion of which constitutes a longitudinal guide bar or runner and that part of the frame extending laterally therefrom is adapted to be supported at various elevations by a roller or wheel.

One of the purposes of the invention is to, open out furrows or ditches for draining or tiling purposes.

Another purpose of the invention is to I attach auxiliary cutters or scrapers to the i colter and for scraping theloose dirtlat indicate vcorresponding parts views, andin which r M Figure 1' is a perspective" view of a'pre- 1 ferred embodimentof the invention; Fig. 2- is a plan view ofthe main ipartsofthe' mainframe runnermember at any suitable angle with respect to the horizontal for the purpose-of scalping off one or both of the shoulders formed by the ditching bit vor erally toward the center of the road bed' in connectionwith road machines.-

The foregoing and other objects of the in vention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and I illustrated the drawings forming 'a' part of this specification in which like characters of reference in all the same ,and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the front 'part of the same, parts being in section on the line 3 3ofl ig. 2.

The several parts of this device rnay be made of any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions, as wellfas the A p stated below 1s pivoted to SWlIlglIl a substangeneral design of the mechanism, =n1'ay be 7 varied to a-consid erable extent without de- Specification of Letters Patent. I

Application filed March 31, 1915. Serial No. 18,264.

, immmeaneb. a, 1 916.

parting from the spirit of the invention hereinafter claimed; 7 V Referring more particularly to the drawings I show at 10 a substantially flat longitu dinally arrangedbar or plate termed hereinafter the runner, and which constitutes the main elementof the frame of the ma.

more" fully described and 7 chine, 'At 11 is a horizontally. extendedv. frame member of any'suitabl'e length determining substantially the width of thefinachine, and the outer end of this transverse member is connect'ed by a dia'gonal brace 12 with the rear portion of the runner.

13, indicates a second longitudinal member parallel to therunner and of approximately the same length which constitutes with the runner a support for a'draft connection M having a series of holes 14 therein. A draw bar l5fis pivotallyconnectedat 15 to the main cross barv 11 and adjustablyconnected in one of the holes 14 for determining the" 75 7 forward inclination of'the draw bar,

' .At 16 1 show a bar rigidly connected to the runner and extending forwardly therefrom 'formlng 'a support for a cutter head 17 pivoted to the bar 16 by means of pivot 18. The cuttei' head comprises a "colt er'19' extending downwardly and rearwardly from 'the pivot 18 and having secured thereto a ditch forming device 20. The drawing indicatesone form of theseditch forming devices and opposite each other at the frontend of fthe runner. The ditch forming device comprisesfia plate 20"* and v and an-angularly' disposed blade 20; The platefQO is comparatively thin" and is secured flatlyr against the colter- 19 by bolts or rivets 21, the forward edge of the plate" con'-- forming .tothe adjac'entedge of the colt e r. f The'blade 20 extends'laterally in ajplane substantially perpendicular to the plane of thepla'te and inclined upwardly andrear- Wardly from the front and cutting edge of.

the colter. The front inclinededgeofthe colter and'cutterflh'ead. constitutes: aform I ofditch opener, "and the lower and front edges of the' blades 20" constitute cutters The cutter head, "with the limitations tially vertical plane around the pivot 18,

'100 i defining the bottom of the ditch or furrow.

but any suitable devices may be used to positively control such movements of the cutter head. The controlling means herein shown include a lever 22 pivoted at 18 and extending thence rearwardly in reach of the operator seated upon the machine at 23. A link 24 is pivoted at 25 to the lever and has connection through a pin 26 and slot 27 with the cutter head allowing a certain amount of independent movement between the link and the cutter head. However, when the lever is lifted far enough, the pin 26 will lift the cutter head. At 28 I show a wedge vertical side plate 30" and a flat blade 30 at substantially a right angle and with its lower or cutting edge 30 inclined at an oblique angle with respect to the horizontal and with the plane of the blade inclined upwardly with respect to the bottom of the runner. This side cutter blade 30 serves to scalp 05 the angular shoulder formed by the cutter head on one side of the runner so as to loosen the dirt and allow itto be scraped laterally to a considerable distance by means of a drag blade 31. This drag blade is connected at one end to the runner at 32 and extends laterally and rearwardly and at any desired elevation with respect to the horizontal.

33 indicates a brace extending laterally between the middle portion of the drag blade and .the rear end of the runner, and at 34: I show an arch support or brace connect ing the same with the rear end of the frame member 13; 'When used as a road machine, this drag blade serves'to scrape or throw the dirt loosened by the cutter head 17 and the side cutter 30 over in 'a ridge-like manner toward the center of theroad' bed.

The sidesupporting wheel 35 is mounted upon a support 36 journaled in a bracket or bearing 37 and held at any desired'elevation by means of a drag rod 38. By this means any desired tilt laterally may begiven to the runner and thereby the active edges of the side cutter and drag blade may be variably inclined with respect to the horizontal. r

I claim:

'1. Ina machine of the character set forth, the Icombination of a main longitudinal frame member constituting a runner, a cut ter head pivoted to and movable vertically adjacent the front end ofthe runner, means to lock the cutter head in definite cutting position with respect to the end of the runner,

devices connected to the rear portion of the runner and extending laterally therefrom at an angle to act upon the soil loosened by the cutter head, and draft connections for the machine.

'2. In a machine of the class set forth, the combination of a main longitudinal frame member constituting a runner, means extending laterally from the runner to determine its relation to a vertical longitudinal plane of action, a cutter head pivotally connected to the front end of the runner and movable in a vertical plane with respect thereto, and means to limit the upward movement of the cutter head and thereby positively fix the depth of its cutting action, said cutter head havingcutting blades extending laterally from both sides of the runner. V

3. In a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a longitudinal frame member constituting a runner, a bell crank axle journaled in the outer end of the frame devices, a wheel mounted upon said axle, a cutter head connected to the front end of the runner, means to regulate the depth of cut thereof, and rigid cutting devices secured to one side'of therunner and acting laterally therefrom on the same side as said wheel, the efiective inclination of the latter ,m'entioned cutting devices being determined by the vertical adjustment of said frame through said wheel and axle.

4:. In a machine of the characterset forth, the combination of a longitudinal frame member constituting a runner, supporting devices extending laterally from one side of the runner to determine the position thereof with respect to the longitudinal vertical plane, a cutter head comprising a rib pivoted to the runner, said cutter head also including a pair of cutting blades secured rigidly to the rib on opposite sides thereof and also upon opposite sides of the runner, said blades having cutting edges substantially perpendicular to the plane of the runner and the main portions of the cutting blades lying in the same planeand extending upwardly and rearwardly from said edges, and meanstodetermine the cutting depth of the cutting head.

5. in a machine of the character set forth, the combination of a runner constituting a main frame member lying in a longitudinal and substantially vertical plane, a bar connected to the runner and extending forwardly therefrom, a cutter head comprising a colter pivoted to the front end of the bar and extending thence downwardly and rearwardly in substantially the plane of the frame member, a cutting blade secured to one side of the colter and extending rearwardly along the front end of the frame member, said cutting blade having a cutting edge substantially perpendicular to the plane of the frame member, the blade ex connected to the lever and having loose pin 10 tending thence upwardly from said edge and slot connection with the cutter head. at an inclination, and means to positively In testimony whereof I have signed my regulate the cutting depth .of the cutter name to this specification in the presence 5 head, said last mentioned means comprising of two subscribing witnesses.

a lever, a wedge pivoted at one end to the CHARLES HUNGERFORD, lever and having its other end movable Witnesses:

downwardly between the colter and the Go'rTLEIB SIGG,

front end of the frame member, and a link E. C. HAMMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. 0. 

